N.B. adds 10 deaths to COVID-19 toll, none from past week

COVID-19 has killed 10 more New Brunswickers, but none of the deaths occurred during the past week, according to figures releasedby the province Tuesday.

Six people died in January, two in December, onein November, and the other one some time prior to Aug. 28the start of the current respiratory season, and as far back as data in the weekly COVIDWatch reports gounder recent format changes.

"Deaths are subject to a lag in reporting," the report says. There is an average two-month lag from date of death to the registration of death.

Among the nine latest deaths, the people were all aged 70 or older, the report shows. No information about the other person is provided, but Department of Health spokesperson Adam Bowie confirmed the person was an adult.

"If one of these deaths [confirmed as occurring prior to Aug. 28] ever involves a person under the age of 18, we would inform the public," he said in an emailed statement.

A total of 822 New Brunswickers have died from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Active hospitalizations up 32%, say RHAs

COVID-19 hospitalizations "remained stable" this reporting period, betweenFeb. 5 and 11, according to the report.

Ten people were newly admitted to hospital because of COVID, up from nine in the previous report.Threeare in intensive care, up from none.

The province no longer provides the number of people currently hospitalized.

The two regional health authorities, meanwhile, say they have66hospitalized COVID-19 patientsas of Saturday up 32 per centfrom the 50 active COVID patients the previous week.Sixpeople require intensive care, up from five.

This includes people admitted to hospital because of COVID-19, as well as thoseinitially admitted for another reason who later test positive for the virus.

Horizon and Vitalitboth recently dropped routineCOVID-19 testing of mosthospital patients. Only patients with symptoms of the virus are now being tested, with some exceptions.

Among the people newly admitted to hospital for COVID, the province reports onewas under 20 the youngest age category provided under the reportingformat changes.

One was between 20 and59 years old, three were in their 60s, and five were 70 or older.

527 new cases reported

The number of new lab-confirmed COVID cases and per cent positivity "remained relatively stable" in the past week, the report states.

A total of 379 new cases of COVIDhave been confirmedthrougha PCR (polymerase chain reaction)lab test, up about 12 per cent from the339 PCR-confirmed cases a week ago.

There were2,245 PCRtests conducted, for a positivity rate of nearly 17 per cent, compared to 2,154 tests the previous week, a positivity rate of nearly 16 per cent.

An additional148 people self-reported testing positive on a rapid test, according to the Department of Health. That's up from 133.

Of the 183random samples sent for genetic sequencing between Jan. 23 and Feb. 3,26 per cent were XBB,an offshoot ofthe Omicron BA.2 subvariant.

The report does not provide a more detailed breakdown of sublineages, but the department spokesperson confirmed to CBC that included 46 new cases of XBB.1.5, more than doubling theprovincial total to date.

The World Health Organization has described XBB.1.5 as"the most transmissible" subvariant yet.

XBB.1.5 was firstdetected in the province last month.As of Feb. 7, 42 caseshad been confirmed.

The Omicron subvariant BA.5accounted for 70 per cent of the sequenced cases and BA.2 represented four per cent.

Althoughthe last COVIDWatch report included only 109 sequenced samples from a one-week period, compared to 183 samples over a two-week period in this report, Bowie said the numbers are "within [the] normal range."

Asked about the delay in reporting, he replied,"Sequencing has always required a bit of time." He said New Brunswick has been a leader nationally in turnaround time, averaging fewer than 10 days between sample collection and sequencing.

"This is roughly half the average national turnaround time," said Bowie.

Drop in vaccine uptake

COVID-19 vaccine uptake dropped nearly 11 per cent in the past week, with only 892 doses administered, compared to 1,002 the previous week,according to figures from the Department of Health.

Still, the shots administered were enough to increase the vaccination rates for first and second boosters.

A total of 54.7per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have now received their firstbooster, up from 54.6per cent, and 30 per cent have received their second booster, up from29.9 per cent.

The vaccination rates for first and second doses remain unchanged, at 90.9 per cent and 85.8 per cent respectively.

CBC requested an interview withDr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health, through the Department of Health, but did not receive a response.

Hospitalizations, infected workers, outbreaks

Horizon Health Network's active COVID-19 admissions creptupto 47, as of Saturday, from 42 the previous week, but the number of patients who require intensive care remained stable at four,itsCOVID dashboardshows.

The Moncton region, Zone 1, has 15 patients, the Saint John region, Zone 2, has13, the Fredericton region, Zone 3, has 16, and the Miramichi region, Zone 7, has the other three.

Vitalit Health Network's number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has jumped nearly 138 per cent to 19, as of Saturday, from eight,according to itsCOVID dashboard.Two people require intensive care, up from one.

The Campbellton region, Zone 5, has the majority of the patients, at 10, including nine at the Campbellton Regional Hospital, one of whom is in intensive care, and one at the Restigouche Hospital Centre. Tracadie Hospital in Zone 6, has five of the patients, the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton, Zone 1, has two of the patients, includingone in intensive care, and the Edmundston Regional Hospital in Zone 4, has two patients.

There are seven COVID outbreaks on Horizon hospital units, down fromeight in the previous report. They includefour in the Moncton region, two in the Saint John region and one in the Fredericton region. No other details are provided.

Vitalit has three COVIDoutbreaks, including two new ones at the Campbellton Regional Hospital on the medical unit and the medical-surgical unit. There is also an ongoing outbreak attheRestigouche Hospital Centre'scommunity transition unit (B-2).

About 19 per cent more health-care workers are off the job after testing positive for COVID-19, compared to a week ago, at95, up from 80.

Horizon has 60of the infected employees (up from 55), whileVitalit has 35 (upfrom 25).